How to gauge your abilities based on practice problems and tests?

[shockwave]

I have been studying for the GRE quite rigirously since April and was wondering if there was anyway to gauge your abilitiy and potential score based on practice tests and problems? For example, say I get a 15/20 or a 17/20 on a practice test in one particular workbook, how would that translate to in the scores on the GRE? Or say if I answer 8/15 or 13/15 practice problems right. Is there anyway to gauge? I am just curious because I believe I took a practice test with Kaplan around December and got around 140 - 145 in both Math and Verbal, though that was without any studying. I'd like to see where I'd rank up nine months later.

[1Q84]

OK two threads now with the same typo- I need to say something: it's rigorously!

[amlobo]

Try taking the ETS practice tests on their website. They give you a scored result. Or, buy the Kaplan Premiere book, which has access to quite a few online scored tests. All of the workbooks are different levels of difficulty, so I think it's really impossible to gauge based on a raw score. Try one of the adaptive online tests - they were very close to my actual score.

[shockwave]

Espresso Shot, are you referring to the ETS practice one online as the adaptive online tests? Also I believe I have the Kapln Premiere book and will definitely take a look at that later tonight!

[amlobo]

Kaplan and ETS have adaptive online tests (which is what the actual GRE is). Kaplan Premiere has an online access that has a ton of practice problem sets and 5 or so practice tests. I found the online content for Kaplan very helpful.

[shockwave]

Thanks guys. Where can I find the ETS online adaptive one? Is it the one from the PowerPrep II Software??

Edited August 23, 2012 by shockwave

[amlobo]

Yeah, it's the Powerprep II ones. Good luck!

[shockwave]

I just made it through a whole one. I got a 152 V and 156 Q, since I am applying(or planning to apply) to social science programs, I'd reckon that the Verbal could be a bit better, but a lot of the programs I have been looking at have said they want a combined 300, so I am a bit content. A bit more practice and I think I will be alright. Does anyone else have any input on those scores?

[amlobo]

Well, different programs put more emphasis on different sections, and of course, it depends on how selective the schools are where you are applying. That quant score is well above the average for social sciences and I'd imagine it would be sufficient for the vast majority of programs. Depending on the exact program, the verbal could stand to be a bit higher, as I think you're hovering right around the average. But, as I said, it all depends on where you are applying. A lot of schools I'm applying to say they want above 75th percentile, so I wanted to get at least above that. I'd just pay attention to whether the combined 300 is an absolute minimum to apply or whether it's a gauge for "admitted students."

And... the GRE is just one factor. You want to do as well as you can, but it doesn't matter quite as much if you have a lot of other things going for you. I'd say do some verbal practice questions and review some vocab, and focus on bringing that up a bit. It sounds like you are doing fine on quant.

[kateausten]

Some GRE books have a "Very Bad, Bad, Okay, Good, Very Good, Excellent" scale which you could use to approximate score ranges by dividing them out into percentile ranges and then looking up the corresponding scores. However, I wound up in tears while prepping because I couldn't get out of the "good" score range in my verbal book (I need a good score to make up for my gpa) and I just unofficially got 168 on the Verbal test. So, they aren't exactly reliable.